My friend, Carl, died this morning.  He was 85 years old and had been in poor health for a few years.  

I met Carl and his wife, Sue, at the church I attend in LaFollette.  Carl always had a quick wit and a ready smile.  I noticed a lot of people at the church called him General.  Of course, a lot of people at the church have nicknames.  My dear friend, Missy, is really Sue.  And when I met my friend, Martha, I noticed everyone call her Sugar.  Slowly, I learned the reasons behind the nicknames.  Martha, for instance, is called Sugar by almost everyone due to the fact that her maiden name is Cain.  So I inquired why Carl was called General.  Turns out he was a retired general.  In the army.  A Four. Star. General.

One time, our church was honoring service men and women and Carl came to church in his full dress uniform.  And needless to say, his uniform was spectacular.  I walked up to him and said, “Oh my!  I don’t even know what to call you!”  He smiled and said, “You call me Carl.”

Another Sunday, my sweet Mom was visiting me.  As I introduced her to Carl and Sue, I said, “Momma, you like to thank people who served in the military.  Well Carl served.”  She smiled and said, “Thank you for your service!”  Carl smiled back and nodded his appreciation.  I said, “Daddy served, too, but I think Carl’s rank is a wee bit higher than Daddy’s.  Wasn’t he a Private First Class?”  Mom nodded, then I told her Carl’s rank.  Of course her jaw dropped as Carl’s gracious, beautiful wife, Sue, said, “It’s not your rank, it’s that you served.”

I remember clearly the last two things Carl ever said to me.  The next to last thing—

He and I were chatting and someone walked by us and commented on him being LaFollette’s favorite son and that he was famous.  Carl grabbed my arm and said, “Listen.  No matter how tall a tree gets, a dog can still piss around the bottom!”  (As a side note, he would also say—instead of ‘don’t make a mountain out of a mole hill’—‘don’t pole vault over a rat turd’.😃)

The very last thing he ever said to me—

He grabbed my arm, smiled, and said, “God sure did know what He was doing when He made you.”

I feel honored that I had the pleasure of knowing Carl and am honored that I have been asked to sing at his funeral.   Rest In Peace, General Stiner, my friend.   I look forward to seeing your smiling face on the other side someday.